Have you noticed them yet? If you haven't, you may be living under a rock. Bees, wasps, and hornets grow in numbers all summer long, but it doesn't take long for these insects to become a real pain--pun intended. Though summer is just getting kicked off, stinging insects have already established new nests and are well on their way to growing their populations. Here are three types you can expect to see, and where you can expect to see them.
Yellow Jackets
This bad-tempered wasp builds its nests in the most peculiar of places. All that a yellow jacket needs is a quiet area with a nearby food source and it will be happy to establish a home. They are most often found in holes or rotted trees and stumps, but this scary insect has been found building super nests in sheds, out buildings and even old abandoned furniture.
If you're looking to protect yourself from this stinging pest, you're going to want to look low. Be careful when entering out buildings that have not been used for a while or when cutting your grass. Vibration and noise can drive yellow jackets to swarm.
Hornets
You'll find this medium tempered insect building gray paper hives on exterior walls, eaves, arches and under rooflines. These hives are most recognizable by their cone shape and circular entrance at the base.
When protecting your home from this hornets, look high or under. These stinging insects like to "hang out."
Bees
There are a few types of bees. Some build hives on tree limbs and trunks where they can be clearly seen crawling in mass upon the surface of their nest. But often, when infesting a home or business, they will find an entry point and build their nest inside where they cannot be seen. That is why it is important to do routine inspections and look for bees entering and exiting cracks and gaps.
Whether protecting yourself from aggressive stinging bees, like Africanized honey bees, or protecting your home from wood-chewing carpenter bees, it is important to locate and remove nests as quickly as possible.
As summer rolls on, it is more and more important to inspect for stinging insects and have nests removed by a professional. Most stings happen when these insects attempt to protect their homes. A random bee, hornet or wasp can be a benefit around your home by pollinating plants and flower or by killing off other pest bugs, but never allow these insects to live on your property.
To find out how Thomas Pest Services can help you protect your family and home from stinging insects, please contact us today!